Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-11-14

possible and facilitate the penetration
of the chlorine gas. A coarse screen
OF one-half inch mesh is used for this
purpose.
| THK TANKS
are only filed up to within about
three inches Of the top. This is TO
insure that the entire contents of tho
tank are covered by water in the sub.
sequent teaching, otherwise there will
be great difficulty in washing cut all
the soluble gold.
As soon as the tanks are filed, they
are ready for the introduction of the
chlorine gas. This is introduced into
the bottom Of the tank from two op-
posite sides, and is continued until
ammonia held over the ore gives off
dense fumes Of ammonium chloride.
This usually takes about four hours.
When this point is reached, covers
are placed on the tanks, and the
cracks are luted with a mixture of
ieached ore, bran and water. The
gas generators, of which there are two
employed at one time in charging a
tank, are allowed to work on until ex.
hausted; then they are disconnected
and the holes in the tank are plugged.
The tank is usually charged with
gas IN the morning, and left standing
for two days. On the third day the
ore is leachcd. The tank is first filed
with water, and allowed to stand a
few minutes, SO that the water may
penetrate all the ore. If no more
water is absorbed, the liquor is drawn
off at the bottom. care being taken to
keep the tank full OF water during the
entire operation, which takes from
four to Ave hours.
In charging the tank, gunny sack
is laid on top Of the ore, where the
wash-water is afterward to be intro
duced, in order to better distribute
the water III the tank and prevent it.,
washing and packing the ore.
THE LIQUOR FROM THE TEACHING.
is conducted to settling or storage
tanks, and about 40 pounds ot sui.
phuric acid (66o By is added.
Experience has shown this addition
of acid to be advantageous in obtain
ing clean produc. in the subsequen,
precipitation. The chemical reaction
is, however, by no means c!ear) |,
is usually allowed to stand for "A
hours, but two hours are quite sutli
cien. 1t is then run into precipitat.
ing tanks, and the gold is precipi
tated by solution OF sulphate Of
iron. The iron solution is added un-
til, after stirring, further addition
produces no purple COLOR. After the
gold is precipi'at"d, 1t is allowed to
stand two, or, if convenient, three
| days to settle; then the supernatant
liquor is drawn off with siphons into
d second se,:ling-tsna, where any
gold that may have been drawn of
by the siphons has a second oppor
,unity to settle. The liquor stands
in this tank until it is necessary 10
run it off to make room for anotLet
charge. Very little gold is found in
this tank, and it is therefore only
cleaned out once during the year. In
the meantime, fresh liquor has been
run into the precipitating tanks upon
the gold already precipitated there.
In this way, the gold is allowed to
accumulate until the semi monthly
cleanup. Except when it is necessary
to have them open, the precipitating
tanks are kept covered and locked.
IN MAKING THE CLEANUP,
the superna.ant liquor is siphoned off,
the gold gathered up and placed in
filter OF punched iron, lined with a
sheet of ordinary filter paper, and
washed with water until al! the acid
and IRON salts are removed. 1t is then
dried, melted in crucibles and cast
into bars.
The works extract from 05 to 90
per cent. Of tho assay value Of the
concentrated sulphid-s. Two men,
on day shift, attend 10 all the work ct
handling the ore after it ia wsshe d
(,he teaching, etc). The head man
receives SO, the other $3.50 per day.
Owing to the limited amount of ore
allotted to the works, only three
tankfuls are leached every four days.
The men, however, are employed
steadily.
The sulphate Of iron is mar ufactur-
ed on the spot. For this purpose all
ordinary wooden tank about feet by
~ feet, standing outside the building
in the open air, is used. The tank is
kept full Of water and supplied with
old scrap iron ad ibi,um, and for
Zach charge to be preci plated about
40 pounds Of acid are added to the
tank.
The precipitatinR tanks, which are
Of wood, are protected from the &C.
ton OF the acids by a coating OF
'paraaine paint"
append an itemized statement OF
the cost of handling the ore. The
basis OF figuring is 100 tons Of ore
per month Of 80 days. Consumption